A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the rehabilitation of acutely impaired upper limbs and shoulders of patients recovering from stroke, accident, and post surgical trauma. More particularly, the invention relates to an ergonometric system of exercise which maximizes the range of motion of the treatment and also provides a method for the measurement of energy of performance of the upper limb and shoulder musculoskeletal system. The invention opens new options in the field of patient challenged treatment for prescription by the therapist, which are a) variable resistive lateral restraint and b) patient assisted therapy whereby the good brain/good limb is utilized to help reconnect the communication network of the recovering brain/recovering limb in rope/pulley assisted climbing over obstacles on an incline plane.
B. Description of the Background Art
Acute rehabilitation facilities are in need of apparatus which more effectively provide for patient recovery by the exercise of upper limb and shoulder muscles and joints. Physical therapists modalities are presently limited to the utilization of dead weight lifts, spring and pulley resistive devices and simple table top slide equipment for patient exercise routines. The practitioner may manually assist the patient to extend muscles to the desired mobility range not allowed by presently available exercise equipment. Ergometers which measure the amount of work done by muscles over a mobility range are limited to linear or straight line practice. The present invention overcomes these limitations and allows exercise with work/energy measurements over a complex and circuitous range of motion. Further, the present invention maximizes the use of patient challenged and patient assisted therapy.
In view of the foregoing considerations, the present inventors conceived of the presently disclosed exercise apparatus and energy measuring method and system with ergonometric interface with the patient, thereby providing a more universal range of exercise for upper limb muscles and joints.